YOUR GRAIN FARMERS OF ONTARIO TEAM Here is our next installment of profiles of your Grain Farmers of Ontario staff to help introduce you to the team. MAGGIE POLLARD, COMMUNICATIONS INTERN Maggie Pollard joined Grain Farmers of Ontario in May as a communications intern. In this one-year contract position, Pollard will represent Grain Farmers of Ontario at summer events with the Grain Discovery Zone trailer and support communications projects in support of public trust initiatives and farmer-member events and communications. Pollard graduated from the University of Guelph in June 2024 with a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture, majoring in animal science. She was raised on a livestock farm in Harrow, Ontario, where her passion for agriculture grew. Pollard has worked for several agricultural companies throughout her degree and wishes to continue to expand her agriculture knowledge. She looks forward to travelling all through Ontario and to educate the public on grain farming. 16 An update on Grain Farmers of Ontario news and events NEW INVESTMENTS IN CORN, OAT, AND SOYBEAN RESEARCH In June, Guelph MP Lloyd Longfield announced the new Cropping Systems Cluster on behalf of the Honourable Lawrence MacAulay, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food. The announcement was made at Woodrill Farms in Guelph. The Cropping Systems Cluster, led by the Canadian Field Crop Research Alliance (CFCRA), will support research advancements in corn, oat, and soybean that can reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve the environmental and economic stability of the grain sector. Grain Farmers of Ontario is a founding member of the CFCRA. This new funding of up to $5.7 million from Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada will be matched by an additional $4.8 million from the industry for a total investment of up to $10.5 million over five years. AGRONOMY INFORMATION Visit www.gfo.ca/agronomy to find a wealth of agronomic information from the Grain Farmers of Ontario agronomy team, including weekly field observations, fact sheets, and webinars on important topics. ASA CORTEVA AGRISCIENCE YOUNG LEADER PROGRAM Applications are now being accepted for the 2024-2025 American Soybean Association (ASA) Corteva Agriscience Young Leader Program. Applications close September 4, 2024. One farmer or farming couple will be selected to represent Grain Farmers of Ontario in the program. There is no upper age limit for participation; however, farmers must be 21 years or older to apply and be selected. Applicants should be interested in pursuing leadership roles within the soybean industry. The program focuses on leadership, communications, and issues-based training and builds a strong peer network. A Q&A with Jeff Harrison, chair of Grain Farmers of Ontario. You have had some interesting international experiences. What have you learned or brought back from those trips? I have had many international experiences on behalf of the Grain Farmers of Ontario, and I recently attended the Annual International Oilseed Producers Dialogue (IOPD) in Wismar, Germany. The IPOD brings together farmer organizations like ours from Germany, the U.S., Paraguay, Australia, France, Brazil, and Canada to discuss topics such as trends in government policy and regulations affecting farmers. A highlight for me was meeting two French farmers representing French oilseed producers. This past year, farmers in France spent weeks protesting government regulations that harmed farming. I had the opportunity to hear their story and their motivations. Hearing from our peers from other countries, it is clear that we all have common issues despite our vastly different geographies. It was clear that each group needed leaders who were ready to act when needed. The actions might be different from group to group, but it was important that they were prepared to be proactive and that the government understood their frustrations. I am proud to lead a Board that takes action often and is ready to act on our members’ behalf in any way we can. We have worked to show our governments at all levels that we are proactive and prepared to act. Do you have a question for the chair? Email GrainTALK@gfo.ca. FROM THE CHAIR
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